FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are you located?
Our office is located at 1010 Wayne Ave, Suite 410, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Metered parking is available in the garage across the street, or there’s a parking garage available underneath the building that’s priced comparably (around $8/day). We’re also less than a block away from the DC Metro red line.
Do you take insurance?
Unfortunately, we are not able to accept insurance as the time and resources required detract from our ability to spend a maximum amount of time with our patients. Practices who accept insurance typically need to spend short amounts of 1:1 time with their patients in order to stay open. Whereas in order to most effectively treat patients with complex musculoskeletal systems, more direct 1:1 time with the patient is critical for achieving successful outcomes. Our providers only see one patient at a time rather than stacking appointments on top of one another.
However, we are happy to offer our patients a service where we file out-of-network claims on their behalf after full payment has been made to PRISM. This is offered through Open Practice Solutions, a streamlined claim filing app that interfaces directly with PRISM in a secure fashion. Alternatively we can provide a superbill / detailed receipt you can submit to your insurer for reimbursement.
Please note that our practice has opted out of Medicare/Medicaid and therefore claims should not be submitted for reimbursement.
For commercial insurance plans, we recommend that you contact your carrier to verify whether you have out-of-network benefits, whether you’ve met your deductible, and to ask for estimated reimbursement for the codes listed below (illustrative only – actual coding to be determined during the appointment).
Our office is located at 1010 Wayne Ave, Suite 410, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Metered parking is available in the garage across the street, or there’s a parking garage available underneath the building that’s priced comparably (around $8/day). We’re also less than a block away from the DC Metro red line.
Do you take insurance?
Unfortunately, we are not able to accept insurance as the time and resources required detract from our ability to spend a maximum amount of time with our patients. Practices who accept insurance typically need to spend short amounts of 1:1 time with their patients in order to stay open. Whereas in order to most effectively treat patients with complex musculoskeletal systems, more direct 1:1 time with the patient is critical for achieving successful outcomes. Our providers only see one patient at a time rather than stacking appointments on top of one another.
However, we are happy to offer our patients a service where we file out-of-network claims on their behalf after full payment has been made to PRISM. This is offered through Open Practice Solutions, a streamlined claim filing app that interfaces directly with PRISM in a secure fashion. Alternatively we can provide a superbill / detailed receipt you can submit to your insurer for reimbursement.
Please note that our practice has opted out of Medicare/Medicaid and therefore claims should not be submitted for reimbursement.
For commercial insurance plans, we recommend that you contact your carrier to verify whether you have out-of-network benefits, whether you’ve met your deductible, and to ask for estimated reimbursement for the codes listed below (illustrative only – actual coding to be determined during the appointment).
What appointment(s) should I request to begin treatment?
What is Muscle Activation Techniques (MAT)?
Muscle Activation Technique (MAT) Is a type of manual therapy (https://muscleactivation.com/) that’s used in our clinic as a way of complementing PT or Osteopathic work. More specifically, MAT is extremely helpful for stabilizing the muscles so that your PT treatments hold much longer. MAT targets the muscular system far differently than many other forms of physical therapy. While most physical therapy modalities directly treat tight muscles as the direct problem, through stretching, massaging, needling and electric stimulation. MAT has a reversal on the current thought process of directly treating a symptom. MAT looks at the nervous system as an incredibly intelligent system of the body which is programmed to recognize instability in a joint or movement. When instability is recognized as a protective mechanism, it tightens up muscles. The MAT hypothesis bases itself on many theories in which it concludes that the muscle tightness or joint dysfunction is secondary to underlying mechanical and/or structural weaknesses. When this tightness is directly addressed there is a potential to be violating the body’s naturally occurring protective mechanism.
Unfortunately at this time MAT is not reimbursable through insurance. While it is a type of manual therapy performed by trained specialists, it’s still mostly unfamiliar to insurance companies. PRISM views the technique to be integral to the success of Dr. Zingman’s treatment protocol, so in the long run we intend to conduct research and demonstrate efficacy. However, that research --> insurance approval process is several years away. The sessions can be included in any FSA / HSA submission using your payment receipt.
What makes PRISM’s Physical Therapy treatment protocol unique?
Most physical therapists work directly with the patient for only a portion of the appointment, then will loosely supervise the patient for the remainder of the appointment while they complete their exercises. At PRISM, our Physical Therapists (PTs) work with the patient 1:1 to provide individualized care/attention to each patient making sure they are performing the activities/exercises correctly and with good neuro-muscular control and activation. Our PTs are trained in techniques such as Feldenkrais and Pilates with emphasis on EDS safety, and teach patients: • Specific targeted exercises for hypermobility syndromes and not just providing generic PT strengthening exercises that may harm a hypermobile body such as EDS • How to improve dynamic neuromuscular control and stabilization • To find the center of their joints to correctly perform movements and activities and break out of compensation patterns • To understand the connection between breathing and posture for people with EDS • How to improve specific postural/breath work modalities for EDS • Conduct isometric exercises and with coaching and cues
Is there anything I should do before my appointment?
Yes! In order to maximize your time during the appointment, please log into the patient portal beforehand to sign required consents and complete intake forms to share your past medical history, medications, allergies, etc. You’ll be notified in the weeks leading up to your appointment that the portal is ready to be accessed.
What should I bring to my appointment?
Use your judgment on which medical records that you would like our specialists to address/ look at during your appointment, which may include clinical notes from anyone you have consulted for your condition (geneticist, rheumatologist, orthopedist, etc.). Primary importance to bring with you to your appointment would be discs of any recent imaging you’ve had done (MRIs, CTs, X-rays). Radiology reports can help, but our specialists like to look at actual CDs as well because they take their own measurements. You can request these back after they are reviewed.
Please wear comfortable clothes, and contact us by phone if you have any further questions.
- Patients in Maryland - Almost all patients begin with an Initial Evaluation with one of our Medical Doctors. Outputs of this include an EDS diagnosis (if indicated), treatment recommendations, and referrals to physicians who specialize in EDS and connectivity tissue disorders. If the patients wishes to, they may schedule treatments with PRISM physical therapists, Osteopathic physicians, MAT specialists, Athletic Trainers, and other members of our team with a schedule built around your life and availability.
- Patients outside of Maryland - Patients are encouraged to travel to Maryland for their initial appointment. Many of our patients have chosen to stay near our office for some number of weeks or months to complete what's referred to as an "Intensive Program". Here the patient receives PRISM treatments in a condensed manner (i.e. 3-4 days per week; 3-4 hours per day) tailored to fit your preferences and comfort level. This is a great way to jumpstart your musculoskeletal journey and equip you with skills and knowledge to take care of yourself when you return home. Our patients have had incredible results with this type of program. PRISM offers remote Pediatric appointments for patients in Maryland and Pennsylvania. We offer remote adult musculoskeletal medicine appointments in Maryland and California. We offer personalized remote Informational sessions in all 50 states. (For patients traveling to PRISM to be seen in person, state of residence is not relevant). For new patients, an additional 30 minutes of administrative time following an initial evaluation is included in the price listed above.
What is Muscle Activation Techniques (MAT)?
Muscle Activation Technique (MAT) Is a type of manual therapy (https://muscleactivation.com/) that’s used in our clinic as a way of complementing PT or Osteopathic work. More specifically, MAT is extremely helpful for stabilizing the muscles so that your PT treatments hold much longer. MAT targets the muscular system far differently than many other forms of physical therapy. While most physical therapy modalities directly treat tight muscles as the direct problem, through stretching, massaging, needling and electric stimulation. MAT has a reversal on the current thought process of directly treating a symptom. MAT looks at the nervous system as an incredibly intelligent system of the body which is programmed to recognize instability in a joint or movement. When instability is recognized as a protective mechanism, it tightens up muscles. The MAT hypothesis bases itself on many theories in which it concludes that the muscle tightness or joint dysfunction is secondary to underlying mechanical and/or structural weaknesses. When this tightness is directly addressed there is a potential to be violating the body’s naturally occurring protective mechanism.
Unfortunately at this time MAT is not reimbursable through insurance. While it is a type of manual therapy performed by trained specialists, it’s still mostly unfamiliar to insurance companies. PRISM views the technique to be integral to the success of Dr. Zingman’s treatment protocol, so in the long run we intend to conduct research and demonstrate efficacy. However, that research --> insurance approval process is several years away. The sessions can be included in any FSA / HSA submission using your payment receipt.
What makes PRISM’s Physical Therapy treatment protocol unique?
Most physical therapists work directly with the patient for only a portion of the appointment, then will loosely supervise the patient for the remainder of the appointment while they complete their exercises. At PRISM, our Physical Therapists (PTs) work with the patient 1:1 to provide individualized care/attention to each patient making sure they are performing the activities/exercises correctly and with good neuro-muscular control and activation. Our PTs are trained in techniques such as Feldenkrais and Pilates with emphasis on EDS safety, and teach patients: • Specific targeted exercises for hypermobility syndromes and not just providing generic PT strengthening exercises that may harm a hypermobile body such as EDS • How to improve dynamic neuromuscular control and stabilization • To find the center of their joints to correctly perform movements and activities and break out of compensation patterns • To understand the connection between breathing and posture for people with EDS • How to improve specific postural/breath work modalities for EDS • Conduct isometric exercises and with coaching and cues
Is there anything I should do before my appointment?
Yes! In order to maximize your time during the appointment, please log into the patient portal beforehand to sign required consents and complete intake forms to share your past medical history, medications, allergies, etc. You’ll be notified in the weeks leading up to your appointment that the portal is ready to be accessed.
What should I bring to my appointment?
Use your judgment on which medical records that you would like our specialists to address/ look at during your appointment, which may include clinical notes from anyone you have consulted for your condition (geneticist, rheumatologist, orthopedist, etc.). Primary importance to bring with you to your appointment would be discs of any recent imaging you’ve had done (MRIs, CTs, X-rays). Radiology reports can help, but our specialists like to look at actual CDs as well because they take their own measurements. You can request these back after they are reviewed.
Please wear comfortable clothes, and contact us by phone if you have any further questions.